Improvement in bottle-stopper locks



H. USTERHOUT.

Bottle-Stopper Locks. 7

No. 156,062. Patented Oct. 20,1874.

fiiiness e s: Mervvr.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY OSTERHOUT, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO GEORGE O. MILLER, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOTTLE-STQPPER LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 156,062, dated October 20, 1874 application filed September 2, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Osrnanour, of Washington city, in the District of Columbia, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle Stoppers and Locks, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in devices for sealing and.

locking bottles, and othes similar vessels, whereby the corks or stoppers of the sane may be more securely fastened than has hi herto been done in devices of this class in order to secure the contents of the bottle against fraudulent removal.

The locking devices hitherto employed for this purpose have usually consisted of a metallic hoop attached to a flexible or rigid collar, consisting of a plain band of metal, so constructed that it may be clasped and secured around the neck of the bottle or vessel under the shoulder formed thereon; or of a rigid band, made in two parts, with a flange or shoulder on the inside at the top and bottom, the two parts being hinged together in such a manner that the band may be clasped and looked around the neck of the bottle, the lower flange engaging under the shoulder on the neck, and the upper one fitting over the edge of the bottle at its mouth, thus holding the collar in place. The collars when constructed of a plain flexible band have been found objectionable, owing to the fact that in many bottles the shoulder at the neck is imperfectly formed and does not give a sufficient hold to the collar, which, in many instances, may be slipped over the neck and removed, thus failing to accomplish their object. On the other hand, when a rigid band with a flange to hold under the shoulder, or the recess generally formed in the neck of the bottle is employed, it has to be accurately made, so as to fit one size of bottle, as it cannot be made to any extent adjustable.

My invention has been designed to obviate these objections; and to this end I employ a flexible collar with a flange at its top edge, which will fall into and hold under the shoulder on the bottle, formed at or near the mouth of the latter, and, inorder that this flange should not interfere with the flexibility of the collar and prevent it from being freelyad justable, I cut or slit the same radially, at

suitable intervals, as will be fully hereinafter described. To the collar I attach, by means of a hinge or otherwise, a flexible hasp, which may be passed over the cork and brought down over the staple, which secures the ends of the collar, so that the whole may be securely locked together by means of an ordinary padlock.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved bottle-stopper and lock, Fig. 2, a view, partly in section, showing it applied to a bottle.

A represents the bottle, and B the stopper or cork. 0 represents the collar, made of a flexible strip of metal, so that it may be readily adjusted to bottles of different sizes. I provide said collar at its upper edge with a flange, D, extending around the same, and, in order to prevent said flange from interfering with the flexibility of the collar, which would prevent it from being adjustable to any extent, I cut or slit the same radially, as at a. To the collar 0 I attach, at one side, a hasp, E, which extends upward over the cork, and downward on the other side, where it can be secured over the staple I*, by means of which the ends of the collar are secured together.

In order that the collar and hasp may be adjusted to various-sized bottles I provide a series of apertures, b, in each, as shown.

The collar is secured over that portion of the neck of the bottle between the shoulder and groove or recess around the neck, and, the hasp being brought properly over the cork, the ends of the collar and hasp are securely fastened over the staple by a padlock, G.

I claim- 1. A locking device for bottles and other similar vessels, consisting of a flexible and adjustable flanged collar, 0, in combination with a hasp, E, staple I and lock G, constructed as herein described.

2. The flange D, cut or slit radially, as at a, in combination with the flexible collar 0, as and for the purposes herein described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

- HENRY OSTERHOUT.

Witnesses:

JAMEs L. NoRRIs, GEo. O. MILLER. 

